Resolution

A new report indicates that Apple's testing of a larger iPhone 6 display has included a 1704x960 resolution screen. The current iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c have 4-inch 1136x640 displays, and the larger iPhone 6 at this rumored resolution would both have an even-sharper screen and make updating of apps an easier task. As is typical of Apple, the 1704x960 resolution was chosen quite deliberately.

When Apple introduced the iPad mini, they spent quite a bit of time comparing it to the Google Nexus 7, especially when it came to the merits of the iPad mini's 4:3, 7.9-inch screen over the 16:10, 7-inch screen of the Nexus 7. Physical screen size is only one factor, however. There's also screen resolution to consider, something Apple often touts with their Retina display products like the iPhone 5, iPod touch 5, iPad 4, and MacBook Pro. But not the iPad mini. So, when we put everything on the table, how well does the iPad mini stack up not only to the Nexus 7, but the similarly screened Amazon Kindle Fire HD?

If FBR Capital Markets analyst Craig Berger is correct, in lieu of the much-rumored [http://www.imore.com/tag/ipad-3) we may see another iteration of the iPad 2 this year, complete with a beefed up display. According to Berger, Apple is currently shopping around for quotes from manufacturers in China. The current iPad 2 sports 132 pixels per inch. The iPad 2 Plus will supposedly increase the pixel density to around 250 to 300 pixels per inch. (Though, as we've said repeatedly, Apple will have to pixel-double it exactly, the same way they did with iPhone 4, if they don't want to cause headaches for developers.)

Following repeated rumors that the iPad 2 will be equipped with a retina display, 9To5Mac has made a discovery that may prove otherwise. After digging through the latest SDK, they found plenty of references that point towards the iPad 2 having the ability to take photos and shoot video; however, the size of the camera shutter images is 1024 x 768 - the exact same resolution of the current iPad.

So, either Apple has intentionally placed these images in the SDK to throw us off, or -- like TiPb has been saying for a while now -- the technology simply isn't there to support a full-on retina display on the iPad 2. What do you think?